Fish Report

Well, at least we received a little rain this week, and we really needed it because it sure is dry out in the woods. My boy who was up here from the Madison area for a couple of days could not believe how dry it was up here. The rain we received sure helps but it is still dry out in the woods. The good thing about this hot dry weather is that it has helped get rid of some of the mosquitoes and needless to say every little bit helps.

During the holiday period I was once again reminded of the shortest week of the year. There is no doubt in my mind that the shortest week of the year can no way have seven days in it because it goes by so fast that it is impossible. It seems when families wait for that week when family members get to come home for just a week to visit loved ones it goes by so fast there is no way it can have seven days in it.

It seems they only arrive and it is time for them to pack up and head back home. But those that got to spend time with them sure were glad they had those few days together. Life can sure be good.

We had two of our grandsons up for a couple of weeks and needless to say they keep us going. The one is hooked on fishing and would go out and fish every chance he got. One day we were out fishing down at the river when a party drove by and asked the boys how they were doing and what they were fishing with. We said crawlers and he told us we should use minnows that the fish were really hitting on them. He told us where to get minnows but we had nothing to catch them with.

He then left only to return a little while later with a small white bucket with some minnows in it. He told the boys, “Try these and just keep the bucket.” Needless to say he was right and the boys had a ball catching some fish the rest of the evening. Needless to say this man they never met before and never even knew sure made their day with the U.P. hospitality. Thank you!

Speaking of fishing, grandpa got in serious trouble by saying too much. We had been down at the boardwalk fishing the night before when I caught a sucker. It was about 8-10 inches long and my grandson informed me that it would make perfect northern bait. I said no way just show grandma and let it go.

One of the things they always have to do when up here is go to Top-O-Lakes to check out all their fishing gear. I had to make another stop so I met them there.

They were making their purchases when I asked about minnows and was informed they did not carry them during the summer. Then I made the mistake of telling her about the sucker I had caught the night before and how the grandson thought it would make perfect northern bait.

She said he was right that a party had caught a 20 pound northern on one just the other day. I said thanks a lot as my grandson was saying, “See grandpa I told you so!” So I asked him why he let it go then and he told me because you told me so and I had shown grandma some bite marks on it. So score another one for grandpa.

I am now seeing a few deer around but unless they are still hiding good I am not seeing a lot of signs of a lot of fawns. I am still looking for my first set of twins.

Wisconsin one of the most liberal states in the union is planning for their second wolf hunt while we are planning our first with the battle with those against it keeping up the fight. I guess I will just never understand some things in life. I have said over and over, year after year, that you cannot totally protect one specie out in the wild without some other specie paying the price. In the case of the wolf it is no different.

But I ask how can you convince someone in the inner city about this problem. It only goes to show that the true sportsmen of the U.P. have very little to say about what takes place.

I think once again that those that make the decisions that affect all of us that love the great outdoors and I don’t care if they are a democrat or a republican are so far out in left field with their thinking they are in the bleachers. When the DNR asked our Attorney General to rule on deer blinds and this “Exspurt” declares that deer blinds can be considered a structure on your property we are all in trouble. It sure makes one want to vote once again for “None of the above!”